January 7, 2026
Key dates in 2026 for the painting and decorating sector
The Painting and Decorating Association (PDA) has outlined some of the key dates for industry events this year.
It hosts the flagship Premier Trophy Awards at Plaisterers’ Hall, London, each year as well as two nationwide competitions showcasing the skill and talent of apprentices starting out in the industry.
The national body also holds a networking event for its members, with online sessions delivered as part of its Power Up Your Business package alongside supporting events held by Associate Partners, UNIEP and partners within the wider construction industry.
One of the first major dates in the PDA calendar is the deadline for its flagship Premier Trophy Awards.
Painting and decorating businesses have until Friday 9th January to submit entries for the 2026 awards, which fly the flag for excellence in the sector across seven categories:
- Decorative: this could include the use of conventional coatings, spray work, paperhanging, and projects with a colourful design.
- Highly Decorative: this could include the use of conventional coatings, wood stains, wall coverings and specialist decorative techniques and specialist finishes such as gilding, marbling, graining and artwork.
- Sole Trader/Small Contractor: this represents the vast quantity of work carried out in small domestic and small contracts area. For this award you should be a company with no more than seven employees.
- Residential: this includes domestic dwellings, housing association contracts, apartments, student accommodation etc.
- Commercial: this includes offices, leisure centres, hotels, retail outlets, education and health establishments.
- New Build: this category is where at least 70% of the work is on new surfaces that have not been painted or coated before using conventional coatings, wall coverings and spray work.
- Industrial: this could include the use of conventional and high-performance coatings to transport infrastructures and works or premises.
An overall Supreme Winner will be chosen from the category winners by the panel of independent judges Institute of Clerks of Works and Construction Inspectorate who assess all the entries.
On Thursday 15th January PDA’s Power Up Your Business webinar series continues with insights into procurement with Leigh-Anne Franklin of Eastern Procurement. This webinar will be available to all PDA members via Teams.
Painting and decorating apprentices have until National Apprenticeship Week to enter the PDA’s annual Apprentice of the Year competition, which this year will see the introduction of a regional heat in Northern Ireland – meaning the competition now covers all four of UK’s home nations.
Entry forms can be downloaded from the PDA website and the deadline to apply is Friday 13th February and the first ever regional heat held in Northern Ireland will take place at Workforce Training Services, Belfast, on Thursday 26th February.
PDA members can renew their membership between December and March, but those who pay their subscription fee in full before Wednesday 28th February will be automatically entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a GX19 Graco spray machine worth £1,265.
In March, apprentices will put their skills into practice for the regional Scottish heat which returns to City of Glasgow College on Thursday 12th March and will be swiftly followed by the Welsh heat at College Merthyr Tydfil on Thursday 19th March.
The month will conclude with the annual return of records for members of PDA’s landmark Paint Green initiative. Each year, members submit records of their efforts to drive down waste through reducing, reusing or recycling excess paint and paint containers.
The aim is for more sustainable practices to become built-in to the working day, while collecting data to show a year-on-year improvement. Recording for the year 2025-26 will be the same as previous years, although the PDA is currently looking at possible improvements to the recording system.
After the Easter break, the next regional heat of the Apprentice of the Year competition will be held at City College Plymouth on Thursday 23rd April, with the Midlands heat at South and City College Birmingham on Thursday 30th April.
The PDA’s Apprentice Paperhanger of the Year competition also returns for 2026, and entries to this one-day contest need to be submitted by Friday 8th May.
The final regional heat of the Apprentice of the Year competition will be held at Preston College on Thursday 14th May.
Top scorers in Junior and Senior categories from each of the regional heats will compete in a Grand Final event at DN Colleges Group, Doncaster College and University Centre on Thursday 4th June.
New for 2026, the PDA will then be exhibiting at InstallerSHOW 2026 from Tuesday 23rd to Thursday 25th June. Now the home of the National Painting & Decorating Show, the event will take place over three days at the NEC Birmingham.
A short time after, the PDA’s Premier Trophy Awards a glittering luncheon event celebrating the highest standards of work and the achievements of Apprentice of the Year winners, will take place at Plaisterers’ Hall, London, on Thursday 2nd July.
The PDA’s nationwide Apprentice Paperhanger of the Year competition takes place at DN Colleges Group, Doncaster College and University Centre on Tuesday 14th July.
PDA Chief Executive Neil Ogilvie said: “As the largest UK trade body dedicated to the painting and decorating sector, it’s important for us to have a presence at industry events alongside hosting our own events and activities.
“We encourage PDA members and partners across the sector and wider construction industry, to make note of the upcoming events for 2026 and get involved.
“There are many more events being planned for 2026, including the annual Networking Gala Dinner in the autumn, which includes the awards ceremony for winners of the Apprentice Paperhanger of the Year competition and more of our Power Up Your Business webinars offering expert insight into key industry topics.”
To find out more about the PDA, apply to join, or download entry forms for the Premier Trophy Awards, Apprentice of the Year of Apprentice Paperhanger of the Year, visit: www.paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk
